Drawing for design Textile outcomes.

As part of one of my first University projects I spent a few weeks collecting primary research and creating lots of drawings which i would then use to create final textile pieces. I used a range of techniques to create my final pieces.

• Dye baths (procian and acid)
• Screen printing  (using pigments , discharge opaque inks)
• embroidery (hand and machine)
• hand painting the fabric
• foiling

I was really happy with my final outcomes i feel as a collection they work well together , they were also all selected to be taken to the Indigo Trade show in Paris.

 A sample of a screen printed beetle on top of transfer dyes , i then foil glued a metallic purple onto the beetles back to give the shimmery oily look the beetles have.

Here is a photograph of one of my final beetles in the middle of being machine embroidered using metallic threads over the pink foil.

Here is a photograph of all my final pieces that are going to the Indigo Trade Show in Paris next month. I was really pleased with how they turned out and i was so proud when i was told that they were selected.

Japanese street fashion

As part of my newest research task for my journal, i have been looking at Japan and the street fashion.I became totally engrossed with how these  outfits have almost turned themselves into a catwalk when the wearers are walking down a high-street. I don't want to talk about each outfit individually this post is purely to show lots of delicious imagery that NEEDS to be absorbed! 

The Harajuku look in theory is like if Haute Couture met underground, the kitsch vibe is so exciting and the confidence booster that would happen turned so many heads would be fantastic!

(https://www.pinterest.com/pin/235242780509250932/)

(http://shefallsapart.com/?og=1)

(http://teaandcrumpets.tumblr.com/post/9386244519)

(http://toyprincess.tumblr.com/post/41947654743)

The above two outfits look like if a unicorn ate loads of amazing sweets and regurgitated them to make these wonderful pastel outfits, I am soo in love!! 

Harajuku meets underground fashion 

(https://www.pinterest.com/seriousblak/harajuku-wow/)

(http://tokyofashion.com/harajuku-dj-ktz-hood-by-air/)

(http://tokyofashion.com/miho-maho-chamii-boy-london-harajuku/chamii-miho-maho-harajuku-2013-06-08-dsc9688/)

(http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beauty-and-the-bling)

(http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beauty-and-the-bling)

(http://tokyofashion.com/hirari-ikeda-harajuku-long-coat-colorful-double-bun-hairstyle/)

(http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beauty-and-the-bling)

Harajuku has massively inspired the trends ove in England for example Irregular Choice, are hugely inspired and it just so happens to be one of my favourite shoe shops!

(http://www.irregularchoice.com/shop/xhr-list/product/6695/snow-storm.html)

(http://www.irregularchoice.com/shop/xhr-list/product/6138/red-rover.html)

(http://www.irregularchoice.com/shop/xhr-list/product/6531/late-night.html)

All of this unique style is so inspiring and fun , i can totally understand why Gwen Stefani has such a huge obsession with Harajuku girls!

Body Worlds Exhibition

Since seeing Marc Quinn's sculpture he created using his own frozen blood to recreate his face i have been inspired by the human anatomy. It is such a  magical and clockwork like thing that we rely on obviously to stay alive but to inspire us for artworks. When I was studying in college I used latex to recreate my hands and I this was when I really started to look at the human body. Since first discovered Gunther Von Hagen's creations in 2012 when at college I was filled with excitement when finding out his exhibition would tour to Newcastle. It was Marc Quinn and Von Hagen who truly inspired me to look more into the body and what's underneath.

Marc Quinn's blood sculpture

(http://www.thedevilsdemons.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/blood_head.jpg)

The body worlds exhibition was jaw dropping, absolutely superb. It was fascinating to see the body sectioned and dissected in such flat way that you could almost appreciate it wasn't once alive and living its life as we are right now. If I had enough time and it was easier for me to Travel back from Newcastle on an evening I would of very much loved to of been part of the drawing classes that happened in the exhibition. Getting up close and personal with these body forms is just a wonderful idea, being able to annotate and draw the close detail of the muscles or bones etc.

Gunther Von Hagen 

(http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2008/02/25/gunther460.jpg)

From being inspired by both of these artists and seeing both of the works in person have inspired me so much throughout the years, which I have then gone on to explore ways of my own way of expressing the anatomy which is one of the reasons I started to run my own life drawing classes , these were untutored but gave people the opportunity to come along and draw body forms and develop there own drawing technique , when these stopped I continued to draw my own body . I went through a small phase of continuously drawing myself like Tracy Emin had done in the 90's and then again which was exhibited recently in the White cube which I also visited.

 Life drawing by Bettie Hope.

 Muscular anatomy of a flying cat by Bettie Hope.

Latex hands by Bettie Hope.

Photographs I took of Tracy Emin's work from her exhibition ' The last great adventure is you' in The White Cube London.

This exhibition was where Tracy went back to her old roots and started out drawing what she had originally drew (her body) but this time it had obviously changed and aged, it was a fantastic and fresh feeling exhibition.